A Helping Hand
by Rumbella
Summary: Rumpelstiltskin is extremely sick. Belle cares for him. Touches base on Belle caring for Rumple when he's sick, helping him manage with his leg, and dealing with his stubbornness, just as requested. Rumbelle oneshot.


**A few of you asked for a fic opposite of my previous one, where Belle was sick and Rumple took care of her. This touches base on him having a rather nasty cold and also touches on his bad leg and how Belle helps him with it. This was really fun to write! I hope you enjoy! Look out for the little Lost reference ;)**

I own nothing but my fangirling heart!

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He had a persona to play up to. He was Mr. Gold. The most feared man in Storybrooke. A petty cold wouldn't keep him from walking the streets with a scowl on his face.

Nor would his leg.

Winter had come, inducing more aches and pains from his wretched bum leg. Some mornings he would attempt to leave bed only to fall to the floor from his leg locking up. In those moments, he felt as weak as he had long ago in another land. _The town's coward. _

Now that Belle had been with him, he found himself ashamed to have her help. His beloved Belle helped him dress and undress each morning and night without a single hesitation. She would slowly guide him down the stairs of his house, her grip on his arm keeping him steady. She'd even massage it each night after he returned home from his shop.

Every time he attempted to coerce her into stopping these acts, she'd tell him that she enjoyed it. How she could enjoy it, he didn't understand. Little did he know, the answer was right in front of him. Love. She enjoyed helping him because she loved him so deeply.

He entered his shop, gritting his teeth as a particularly strong wave of nausea hit him. _"A petty cold." _He silently reminded himself. He gripped onto his cane, attempting to keep his balance as the stabbing pains silently resided. He walked into his back room, sitting at his desk. He tried to lose himself as he went through various ledgers, but now he felt extremely warm. He scowled, loosening his tie. Perhaps the heater was acting up again.

Rumpelstiltskin grunted as he stood, his leg clenching with pain. He wondered if this was supposed to be some sort of ironic joke.

The curse was gone. He had magic.

His leg? Remained pathetic and inconvenient.

He checked the thermostat, scowling to see that the shop was actually rather chilly. Why was he broiling then? He stopped as he heard his bell jingle. He silently wondered if Sheriff Swan was about to storm in, angry about something new. Perhaps she wondered why her parents sounded like broken records? _"I will always find you." "No, I will always find you." _they always seemed to tell each other. Gold scolded himself for being so bitter as he strode into his front room.

It wasn't Swan, it was Belle. He was a bit surprised to see her here instead of at her library. She was there everyday, cleaning and repairing the place. "Belle? What are you doing here?" he casually walked to her, trying to smother his illness long enough to speak with her. He would be trapped if she found out. Trapped.

Belle raised an eyebrow, a smile gracing her features. "I'm not allowed to visit anymore?" she asked him, walking over to his counter to idly view some of his more expensive products in the display case.

"That's not what I meant." he told her, walking over to join her. "You're usually at the library by now."

"I felt like visiting." she said, her shoulders lightly shrugging.

"Ah, you-" his sentence was cut off as a rather pesky wave of dizziness hit him. He grunted, stumbling to the side a bit.

He wondered if he'd fall and hit his head off of his glass display case on the way down. He didn't have much time to dwell on the thought. Belle was at his side in seconds, her arm firmly around his waist and her eyes full of worry. "Rumple?" she questioned softly.

"I'm fine." he insisted, attempting to remove her arm.

She shot a stern look, severe enough to make his hand fall off of her arm. How she was able to be so powerful with simple gazes, he would never understand. "

Now she led him to his desk in the back, forcing him to sit. Rumpelstiltskin scowled lightly. "I said I'm fine, Belle." he grumbled.

"Oh hush, you." she hissed as she pressed her lips to his forehead. That certainly stopped him from starting any squabbling.

Belle frowned as she pulled back, gazing into his eyes with worriment. "You're on fire, Rumple. "

"I smell no smoke." he remarked.

She ignored his childish comment and placed a hand on her hip. She was not listening to any excuses. "You're going home this instant and you're going right up to bed. I'm going to take care of you." she informed him, a determined little glint in her eyes.

Rumpelstiltskin was now absently observing how lovely her hair was as she practically dragged him out of his shop and to his vehicle. _Like clouds. _He thought.

He blinked, realizing that he was now to the point of sappy imagery in his illness.

He also realized that she expected him to drive. "Belle, you think I can drive?" he asked, struggling to keep himself from retching on the street.

Her face contorted to one of precious dismay. "I don't know how." she told him.

"I do." they both looked up at the cocky tone of Emma Swan, who approached them with Henry Mills. "What's up?" she asked them.

Belle didn't know Miss Swan, but at this moment, he assumed she didn't care for introductions. "He's very ill and I don't know how to drive." Belle explained.

Emma furrowed her brow, about to ask why a woman her age couldn't drive when Henry interrupted. "You're Belle!" he shouted, beaming at her.

"I am." Belle was confused, but that didn't stop her from smiling at the boy. "Could you please drive us home?" she asked Emma.

"Home?" Emma frowned. Gold now assumed the savior was questioning why a girl her age was with a man his age.

"Just do it, Emma." Henry urged. "It makes more sense after you've read their story." he assured her.

Rumple held his keys out with a shaky hand, not giving her much of a choice.

"Fine. You'll owe me for this, Gold." Emma grumbled before taking his keys. She got into the driver's seat and immediately started the car.

"Shotgun!" Henry shouted, jumping into the passenger seat.

Rumpelstiltskin glowered as he was made to get into the back seat. The only upside was that Belle was sitting beside him, gripping his hands. "Don't worry, love." he told her, gently pushing her hair behind her ear.

Belle gave him a look that told him she wouldn't stop worrying until she was able to properly take care of him. Gold noted that Emma was peering at the two of them through his rear view mirror. He often wondered if Belle was oblivious to the looks that they received, or if she simply had the ability to ignore them.

"So...Belle from Beauty and the Beast?" Emma questioned as she drove.

"Yup!" Henry answered before Belle had a chance. She only shook her head and smiled at the boy's energy.

"And you're the beast, eh?" Emma peered at Gold through the mirror, a smirk on her face.

He grunted.

"I'm sorry." Belle piped up, speaking for him. "He's in pain right now, so I doubt he'll be much of a talker." She turned her gaze to him. "You can rest against me, if you'd like. You should know I don't mind."

He didn't want to. He had a persona to live up to, didn't he? He was mean Mr. Gold, the town villain. If Swan and her boy saw him this vulnerable...

His mind changed as he broke out in cold sweat, his body trembling. He leaned in against Belle's arm, his face buried into her shoulder.

Belle blinked helplessly, her hand moving to rub his back. "We're almost there, Rumple." she told him softly.

Out of her peripheral view, Emma Swan noted that her son currently had his neck craned around to watch the pity fest in the back of Gold's car. She had the urge to make him stop, but the kid was in awe of this girl and Mr. Gold. Emma personally wondered how the hell this girl put up with Gold, but she didn't need to ask. Beauty and the Beast. The innocent girl falls in love with the monster. It made enough sense. She smirked slightly. _Good for him_.

Gold was thanking every god he could as they finally reached his home. Belle helped him out of the car with her hand clutching his. She handed him his cane and silently nodded to Emma in thanks as the woman handed her his keys. As soon as they made it inside, Rumpelstiltskin rushed upstairs to vomit. Belle was there beside him, stroking his back. There was no way to make puking appear or feel appealing in any way and he knew that.

Belle stood by his side the entire time, blinking back tears. It wasn't easy for her to see him so miserable. She'd never seen him this way. Ever. And the way he would shake and groan as he retched made her heart quiver with sadness.

He could sense this. He wanted to hold her and assure her he was fine, but right now, he couldn't. He was stuck in his bathroom for a quarter of an hour before he mustered the strength to stand. She held both her arms around his waist as she helped him make his way to their room. She made him stand long enough for her to remove his pants.

It was embarrassing for the both of them at first, but now it was just a part of their daily routine. Rumpelstiltskin had too much trouble trying to remove them and put them on by himself. His leg often would refuse to budge to allow him to step out of or into his pants, but with Belle here, she could help him lift it without causing much pain. He removed his suit and undershirt as she made her way to the closet, picking out a warm sweater and sweatpants for him.

He couldn't care less of what she picked out, as long as it was warm. His body now felt frigid and he couldn't stop trembling. She slid the sweatpants up to his hips and stepped back to allow him to pull the shirt on. He stood, limping to his side of the bed, his cane long forgotten downstairs.

His body ached dully with bliss as he finally settled down under their silk covers. The wait had made them more appealing each second.

Belle smiled at the content expression on his face and gently pressed a hand to his forehead. "Still warm." she sighed. "You're to stay in bed until you're better, Rumpelstiltskin."

"Yes, nurse." he smirked, his eyes drifting shut.

Belle smiled lightly, shaking her head. "Impossible." she muttered. "You rest. I'm going to find something for you to take." she told him before leaving the room.

He didn't quite remember if she ever returned with the proper medicine or not, for he was out cold in a spell of much-needed sleep.

It didn't last long, of course. The nightmares decided to plague him when he needed them the least. Baelfire. Sucked into the vortex to this world, but Belle was alongside his son this time, grasping for him. All he could do was watch in dismay as they were sucked away. He quickly sat up, breathing heavily as he tried to remind him that it was only a dream. Belle was in bed beside him, sitting up beside him after feeling him twist and jerk about.

"Bad dream?" she softly questioned.

He only nodded in reply, not wanting to go into details so soon.

"Whatever it was, it wasn't real." She smiled sadly, grasping his hand that was closest to her. "There's medicine right there. You should take it." she pointed to the pill resting on his bedside table. He took the small pill with a drink from the glass of water also on his night stand.

Belle sat back in their bed, watching him in the low lighting from the lamp above her side of the bed. She must've fallen asleep whilst watching over him. He was sure the cleaning she'd been doing in the library was exhausting her.

"I'll wait until you fall asleep." she told him, turning off her lamp and settling down beside him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling herself against his chest.

"Thank you." he rasped, silently savoring the feel of her cheek against his heart.

She then softly began to hum. Her hum broke off into a soft song, her voice quivering softly as she sang.

_"Catch a falling star an' put it in your pocket, never let it fade away. _

_Catch a falling star an' put it in your pocket, save it for a rainy day. _

_For love may come an' tap you on the shoulder some starless nights. _

_ Just in case you feel, you wanna hold her you'll have a pocketful of starlight."  
_

Rumpelstiltskin recalled catching her singing a few times in the Dark Castle as she worked. Even now, he heard her singing as she cooked dinner, but she never would resume once she was aware he was there. She was afraid that her voice was terrible.

On the contrary, it was angelic enough to lull him into a dreamless sleep.

Mr. Gold was a monster to many. He was a man who few could contend with.

But that next morning, he was a man who was mostly at peace with his life. Belle was snuggled up close against him, sleeping soundly as he shifted to wrap an arm around her. He felt much better, but he knew she'd make him stay home so she could resume caring for him.

He didn't mind one bit.

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**Did you get it? The song, of course! Claire's song. I haven't actually watched Lost yet. I'm assuming I'll fangirl all over. Anyway, I really hope you enjoyed!**

**Thanks for reading, dearie!**

**Review if you so desire!**


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